Angie AllenWatershed Planner

Monitoring, Assessment & Planning ProgramDEC Watershed Management Division

Basins & Planning Cycle

15 Planning Basins

5 PlannersPlans revisited

~ every 5 years

Tactical Basin Planning Review WQ Data and

Impairments

Compile and prioritize assessments

Integrate water quality models

Enter and prioritize projects into Watershed Data Portal/Watershed Projects DB

Community involvement

Implementation tracking

Purpose of Basin Planning

Protect the Best Restore the Rest

Reclassification

Most natural conditionA(1)• All uses supported• Excellent conditions• All waters above 2500’, few waters by petition

Minor changes allowedB(1)• All uses supported• Very Good conditions• Only Minor changes from natural conditions allowed

Moderate changes allowedB(2)• All uses supported• Good conditions• Moderate changes from natural conditions allowed

Excellent

Very Good

Good

Impaired Waters

Ripton StreamReclassification

Goshen #2 (Tributary to the South Branch)

7

~ 3.5 sq. miles• USFS land• Midd Coll

lands• Concurrent

with MC’s Surface Water and Ecological Protection Zones

Ripton Stream Reclassification

Restoration

Implementation Table

Funding Resources

Georgetti Park Stormwater Mitigation Project, Rutland City

Water Quality Data condition:

East Creek impaired (nutrients, sediment, and pathogens from CSO, stormwater)

Tenney Brook (tributary to East Creek) also stressed (nutrient enrichment, sedimentation, thermal modification)

Sector Based Assessment Reports

VTDEC ERP funded Stormwater Design (2015)

ERP funded ImplementationVYCC crew plants the bio-

infiltration basin

THANK YOU!Angie R. AllenWatershed PlannerAngie.Allen@Vermont.gov

Online Access to InformationBasin PlansClean Water RoadmapWater Quality DataWatershed Projects DatabaseReporting

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Reclassification by UseUse A1 B1 B2

Aquatic Biota Natural Condition Very Good - minor change Good - moderate changeAquatic Habitat Natural Condition Very Good - minor change Good - moderate change

Aesthetics Natural Condition Very Good Good

BoatingExcellent - maximum extent

without degradation

Very Good - maximum extent with no more than

minor degradation

Good - meets hydrological criteria

FishingSalmonid population in

Natural ConditionSalmonid population in Very

Good ConditionSalmonid population in

Good Condition

Public Water Supply(A2) Uniformly excellent character, highly suitable

--- Suitable with treatment

Swimming Excellent --- Good

VT Green Stormwater Projects Story Map

https://arcg.is/1jmubL

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Online CWR: https://anrweb.vt.gov/DEC/CWR/cwr-tool.vbhtml Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8JbFMRt24k

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Classification of Water Use (§29A-104)

Recommendations for use reclassification:

are made during the TBP process

Case by case basis by DEC

Can be part of a written request to the Secretary

Designated Uses Aquatic biota and

wildlife

Aquatic habitat

Swimming (primary contact recreation)

Boating (and related)

Fishing (and related)

Enjoyment of aesthetic conditions

Public water source and irrigation

Modeling data (CWR) supports project 22

Help Protect Our Watershed

• Support sewage treatment plant and septic system upgrades.

• Businesses can use green practices that are protective of water quality.

• Encourage county to consider Green Infrastructure planning.

• Farmers can continue to add Best Management Practices (BMPs): plant cover

crops and fence livestock out of streams.

• Learn more about and support conservation easements.

• Reduce fertilizer and pesticide use.

• Leave or plant tree buffers along streams.

• If you have a septic system, have it inspected and pumped regularly.

• Watch (and smell) for sewage overflows and contact your city or county.

• Install a rain barrel or rain garden and plant native species to encourage

rainwater to soak into the ground.

• Discourage the feeding of geese and other waterfowl.

• Pick up your pet’s waste to keep your neighborhood clean.

• Volunteer with community watershed organizations such as the South Anna

Monitoring Project and help monitor your local streams.

South Anna Monitoring Project volunteers assess benthic

macroinvertebrates.

Cover crops on farmland help reduce runoff.

Photo provided by NRCS Soil Health.

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VT Water Quality Standards Environmental Protection Rule Chapter 29A

Tactical Basin Planning

As part of the tactical basin planning process, public participation shall be sought to identify and inventory problems, solutions, high quality waters, existing uses and the quality of such uses, and significant resources of high public interest.

Plans are required to contain any recommended:

Changes in classification A(1), B(1), B(2)

Designation of waters Outstanding Resource

Waters